observe

Etymology

From Middle French observer, from Old French [Term?], from Latin observare (“to watch, note, mark, heed, guard, keep, pay attention to, regard, comply with, etc.”), from ob (“before”) + servare (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *serw- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐍂𐍅𐌰 (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device, design, contrivance, art, cunning, craft, artifice, wile, deceit, stratagem, ambush, treachery, plot, trick, snare, ambuscade, cleverness, machine, engine, fabric, armor, equipment, arms”).

verb

1. (transitive) To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.
   From this vantage point we can observe the behavior of the animals in their natural habitat.
   She got up before dawn to observe the lunar eclipse.
   “One horse?” interjected Holmes. ¶ “Yes, only one.” ¶ “Did you observe the colour?” 1892, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
   An extreme version of vorticity is a vortex. The vortex is a spinning, cyclonic mass of fluid, which can be observed in the rotation of water going down a drain, as well as in smoke rings, tornados and hurricanes. 2013-03, Frank Fish, George Lauder, “Not Just Going with the Flow”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 2, page 114
2. (transitive) To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules (especially of a religion).
   Please observe all posted speed limits.
   Some of them have, in fact, given them a theoretical elaboration which for subtlety, refinement, and elegance need make no apologies to the older economics, and which remains faithful to older theorizing in at least one respect, that the tradition of unintelligibility to the layman is scrupulously observed. 1958, Jacob Viner, The Long View and the Short, page 112
   A sell-out crowd of 10,000 then observed perfectly a period of silence before the team revealed their black armbands, complete with stitched-in poppies, for the match. After Fifa’s about-turn, it must have been a frantic few days for the England kit manufacturer. The on-field challenge was altogether more straightforward. November 10, 2011, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Telegraph
3. (transitive) To take note of and celebrate (a holiday or similar occurrence); to follow (a type of time or calendar reckoning).
   On Sunday, most of Canada will observe daylight time and spring forward an hour in order to reflect the increasing sunlight. 2020 (March 7), Jackie Dunham, "Daylight time: How to get enough sleep when the clocks spring forward, CTV News
4. (intransitive) To comment on something; to make an observation.
   The senator observed that the bill would be detrimental to his constituents.

noun

1. (archaic) An observation (remark, comment or judgement).